2025 Queensland Zoning & Growth Framework Update

How ShapingSEQ 2023 is Reshaping Development Opportunities Across South-East Queensland

Executive Summary

Queensland is undergoing one of its most significant planning transformations in over a decade. The State Government’s release of ShapingSEQ 2023 has introduced sweeping zoning, density, and growth-management reforms designed to unlock housing supply, guide population expansion, and direct development into the most strategic locations.

For developers, investors, builders, financiers and landowners, these reforms provide clear pathways to uplift, particularly through gentle density policies, high-amenity intensification areas, streamlined planning scheme amendments and a renewed requirement for councils to transition underutilised land within the Urban Footprint into productive use.

Futureland has analysed the full planning framework to translate the policy into practical, actionable development insights. This report outlines the key zoning shifts, growth areas, and structural planning changes with the greatest impact on acquisition, feasibility, and long-term development strategy.

1. The Strategic Context: SEQ’s Growth Challenge

South-East Queensland (SEQ) is entering a period of accelerated population and economic expansion. Over the next two decades, the region is expected to accommodate millions of new residents, requiring close to a million new homes. This growth is driven by strong interstate migration, economic uplift, infrastructure investment and the legacy of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

ShapingSEQ 2023 was developed to ensure this growth is delivered in a sustainable, coordinated and equitable way — balancing housing supply with infrastructure, affordability, environmental resilience and liveability.

2. Urban Footprint Reform: Unlocking Underutilised Land

The Urban Footprint (UF) remains the primary boundary for containing SEQ’s growth. However, ShapingSEQ introduces new directives requiring councils to:

• Identify and unlock underutilised land within the UF that has not transitioned from Emerging Community or Investigation zoning.

• Prioritise increasing development capacity inside the UF rather than expanding outward suburbs.

• Review zoning within the UF to determine the most appropriate development intent for each land parcel.

• Fast-track rezonings that support the plan’s objectives.

Futureland Insight: Expect a wave of rezonings and density increases within existing serviced areas of Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast — particularly where infrastructure capacity already supports urban development.

3. Gentle Density: Queensland’s New Housing Strategy

Gentle density is one of the most important planning reforms in ShapingSEQ. It represents a deliberate shift towards compact, diverse, and low-to-mid rise housing integrated into existing neighbourhoods.

Gentle density includes:

• Small-lot detached homes

• Duplexes and semi-detached dwellings

• Townhouses and terrace housing

• Triplexes and quadruplexes

• Low-rise walk-up apartments (1–3 storeys)

Local governments are required to amend their planning schemes to facilitate these housing types and streamline assessment processes. The State has introduced 3-, 6- and 12-month accelerated planning amendment pathways for councils implementing gentle-density-aligned changes.

Futureland Insight: This opens up significant townhouse and low-rise apartment opportunities in suburbs previously constrained by restrictive zoning — dramatically improving feasibility for well-located infill sites.

4. High Amenity Areas: Targeted Density Where It Matters Most

ShapingSEQ identifies High Amenity Areas as key zones suitable for increased residential density. These are suburbs and precincts with strong access to:

• High-frequency public transport

• Major employment hubs

• Retail and lifestyle centres

• Cultural, community and recreational facilities

• Existing infrastructure capacity

Planning in these areas is required to deliver:

• Higher residential densities

• More diverse housing types

• Increased mid-rise and, where appropriate, high-rise development

• Mixed tenure including affordable and social housing

• Reduced car-parking rates due to strong transport accessibility

The State is also reviewing infrastructure assumptions within 1km of high-amenity areas to support long-term densification.

Futureland Insight: Expect ongoing uplift in suburbs like Albion, Nundah, Coorparoo, Chermside, Indooroopilly, Burleigh Heads, Palm Beach, Kawana and Maroochydore — all prime candidates for mid-rise and mixed-use intensification.

5. SEQ Development Areas: Regionally Significant Growth Hubs

SEQ Development Areas are precincts inside the Urban Footprint identified for major, coordinated growth, supported by strong infrastructure alignment. These areas are central to delivering future housing supply and economic development.

Examples include:

• Ripley Valley

• Yarrabilba

• Caboolture West

• Flagstone

• Beerwah East

• Maroochydore City Centre

Development within these areas is subject to planning provisions ensuring projects align with long-term masterplanning outcomes.

Futureland Insight: These locations will benefit from large-scale urban infrastructure spending, making them high-potential markets for greenfield and masterplanned community development.

6. Potential Future Growth Areas (PFGAs)

PFGAs identify land that may be required for long-term urban expansion if future forecasts indicate housing supply shortfalls.

Key considerations:

• PFGAs do not represent approved development land.

• They are not required to meet current dwelling and employment targets.

• No commitment has been made for rezoning or urbanisation timelines.

Futureland Insight: PFGAs represent speculative or long-horizon opportunities rather than immediate development prospects. They should be analysed for strategic land banking, not short-term projects.

7. Inclusionary Planning: The Next Evolution of Housing Policy

ShapingSEQ signals the introduction of inclusionary planning frameworks that may require or incentivise:

• Affordable housing contributions

• Social housing delivery

• Mixed-tenure developments

• Density bonuses in exchange for public benefit

This aligns Queensland with planning reforms already implemented in Sydney, Melbourne and major global cities.

Futureland Insight: Large rezonings — particularly those in activity centres, high amenity areas, and greenfield development areas — may soon include affordable housing provisions. This will impact feasibility modelling but may unlock additional height, density or infrastructure support.

8. Activity Centre Intensification: Density Around Economic Nodes

ShapingSEQ reinforces the importance of Activity Centres, including:

• Brisbane CBD + inner frame areas

• Ipswich, Southport, Maroochydore, Chermside, Robina, Nambour, North Lakes

• Subregional hubs such as Toowong, Coomera, Logan Central, Springwood and Kawana

These centres will continue to attract:

• Higher-density residential development

• Mixed-use activation

• Health, education, retail and commercial clusters

• Significant public transport investment

The State and local governments will collaborate to update boundaries, assess performance and support growth where capacity exists.

Futureland Insight: These areas remain priority targets for land acquisition and mixed-use development strategies, with strong long-term fundamentals.

Futureland’s Strategic Perspective

1. More projects will now become financially viable under new density rules.

The gentle density framework reduces the land cost per dwelling, improving feasibility in many suburbs.

2. Transit-oriented suburbs present the highest uplift potential.

Rail, Metro and frequent bus corridors are now powerful indicators of future zoning change.

3. Emerging Community land inside the UF is a major opportunity.

These areas are being prioritised for transition into fully developable urban zones.

4. Council planning processes will become faster and more predictable.

The State’s accelerated amendment pathways reduce risk and shorten development timelines.

5. Developers must prepare for affordability-linked conditions.

Inclusionary planning may reshape the economics of large sites but can provide negotiation leverage for additional yield.

Conclusion

ShapingSEQ 2023 sets a clear direction for the next decade: compact, connected, diverse and strategically located housing supported by infrastructure and economic growth. For Futureland’s clients, investors and partners, this planning environment provides unprecedented opportunities for value creation, suburban transformation and long-term development success.

Futureland will continue monitoring planning scheme amendments, council responses and infrastructure delivery to provide updated insights and guide strategic acquisition and feasibility decisions across SEQ.